Assistant Navigators help to make sure that personalised and specialist support is just one click away for the children, young people and families we are here to support. They mean the difference between not knowing what to do, and feeling supported, heard and equipped to face what comes next. If that sounds like something you want to be part of, then read on.
Young Lives vs Cancer helps children and young people (0-25) and their families find the strength to face whatever cancer throws at them. We want to grow our team of Assistant Navigators. You’ll be responding to incoming messages from service users, their friends and their family via our Live Chat app. This service is often the front line of our service pathway.
What you’ll be doing
- Using our Live Chat app you will speak directly with service users, their friends and family, teachers and colleagues who contact Young Lives vs Cancer for support
- Respond to social care queries (usually relating to financial, practical, emotional support) that come through Live Chat, supported by processes and guidance
- You will be a key link between our service users and the wider social care teams, working remotely with support from the Central Support and Social Care Team
- You will provide high-quality, non-judgemental, professional information and guidance being mindful that this is not befriending or personal advice sharing service
About you
Experience – you will have experience of helping others through a customer service or health and social care role or your own lived experience
Excellent digital listener and communicator – communicating without body language, assessing appropriate tones and language can be tough. That’s why we need you to be skilled in using digital communication tools and appreciate the components of this
Practical – you will need a private space to work from in your home, with access to a reliable broadband connection and be confident using IT (we use Microsoft office suite)
What you can expect
- You’ll be positively contributing to providing specialist support to young people and their loved ones who are facing cancer
- A comprehensive training and induction programme
- Ongoing support throughout your time with us
- Experience of being part of an innovative team of social care professionals
- Regular supervision with fellow volunteers
- Opportunities to develop into other areas of support including phone and email enquiries or group work
The live chat service is available 10am-4pm Monday to Friday. We are asking volunteers to commit to a minimum of 3 hours per week during these hours.
DBS checks are required for this role
At Young Lives vs Cancer, we recognise that opportunities for too many people remain a condition of their race, class, sex, disability, sexual orientation – or a combination. This has never been acceptable to us as an organisation. At Young Lives vs Cancer, we do not just accept difference — we value it, we celebrate it, we nurture it, and we thrive off it.
We positively welcome your application irrespective of your background. We are on a journey, and if you join us, you will be part of a community that is committed make a difference to the lives of children and young people with cancer.